Letters: Airport screening for everyone's safety

Associated PressPassengers wait in line at the B-side security checkpoint at Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Fla., Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010.

Airport screening for everyone’s safety
There is a new change in airport security screening. The uproar from the United States citizens seems extreme. After Sept. 111, 2001, Americans couldn’t have enough security at airports, train stations, ports of call throughout this country to ensure our safety.

As 2010 ends, people have forgotten 9/11 and that devastating day in history. We have citizens angry that they have to go through a scanner that checks the body to ensure people boarding planes don’t have explosive materials or weapons under their clothes or in the body.

This is an invasion of privacy? It should be considered another measure to ensure their safety! As a corrections officer, I know that pat-downs are good, but don’t find everything someone may be hiding.

The scanner shows a virtually naked figure, and there is a concern these machines give off radiation and could have long-term health effects. Cell phones do the same thing and most of us spend more time using a cell phone than we will walking through this scanner, and don’t forget microwave ovens are not the safest machine, yet we use them almost everyday.

If people don’t want to go through this process they can always take a bus, train or their personal vehicle on the vacation getaway or business trip.

As a reminder, last December Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab attempted to blow up a flight 253 bound for Detroit with liquid explosives sewn into his underwear.

Thankfully, it failed. December 22, 2001, Richard Reid “The Shoe Bomber” attempted to blow up his flight over the Atlantic Ocean with an explosive in his shoe. If these scanners were in place these men would never have boarded these planes. I hope the Americans are complaining about this will wake up and realize this is for their SAFETY and families’ safety – not to embarrass you or to ruin your vacation.
--MARK JACHYM
--Westfield

Having kin in battle colors our views of war
In March of 1776, Adam Smith wrote “The Wealth of Nations.” He wrote the book to influence a special audience – the British Parliament. He pressed for peace and cooperation with Britain’s colonies rather than war. Adam Smith observed long ago how easy it is to cheer for wars when one has nothing to lose from them.

My point is that the U.S. can continue to wage as many wars as it wants, even in the face of majority opposition by ensuring that the opposition is not very intense and that the overwhelming majority of Americans bear no direct or perceived burden from these wars. And the economic impact on most Americans from these wars are typically hidden.

By segregating the danger of war to a tiny sliver of the population, it’s easier for people to cheer for them. The vast majority of war supporters have little to lose. 

I’m willing to bet that soldiers who see repeated tours of duty in combat zones have, to some degree, felt somewhat isolated when it comes time to share their experiences of combat.
-- BILL PAUL
--Chicopee

Illegal immigrants don’t belong in U.S.
Hopefully many people read the excellent letters to the editor in the Republican published Nov. 17.

The letters criticized the very ludicrous and ridiculous proposal of Gov. Deval L. Patrick to give illegal residents in-state tuition to our colleges.

To give illegal immigrants our tax dollars is totally ridiculous.

We all know that in years past, countless immigrants came here, legally and worked hard for everything they got. Now the liberals, like Patrick, want to spend our tax dollars on those who break the laws and shouldn’t even be allowed to stay here.

The recent election and the tea party have proven that many, including Democrats, are now rebelling against this liberal ideology. The notion of party loyalty – regardless of the insane attempts to pass destructive legislation – has gone out the window. Why be loyal to any party that is sending our country down the wrong path?

Many have and many more will wake up as long as our elected politicians like those presently in office continue their foolish liberal ways.
-- WARREN PARKER
--Agawam

Westfield project worth $1.9 million?
I’ll betcha the same folks that come to Westfield to see the look alike bridges – if they’re ever finished – will than venture on to see what $1.9 million did for downtown. Maybe we could set-up some kind of pay-as-you-go to defray the cost.
RICHARD TRASK
Westfield